Photos To Inspire Your Engagement Session
engagement planning season is upon us and with so many options for where to go and what to do We made this blog post
To compile some of our favourite locations and examples of previous sessions that will hopefully inspire yours! We have a general blog post on How to Plan Your Engagement Session and while that has lots of tips on clothing, time of day, and general locations, think of this blog post as the visual companion to that piece.
Feel free to click the photos to see a larger gallery / the corresponding blog post
Sunset Engagements
Shooting at sunset is always the first thing we recommend for sessions, no matter the location, no matter the time of year. Shooting at sunset gives you such a special, magic, glow that really makes you like you’re beaming from the inside out! We love sunset (or alternatively, and if you’re feeling brave or pressed for time, sunrise) so much that if possible we like to carve out a little time on your wedding day to shoot even just 10 minutes of sunset photos.
There is such a wide variety of light during sunset; from just before the sun really begins setting and it’s relatively high so it’s bright but starting to soften,, to when it’s starting to get low and you get these beautiful streaks of warm light coming through the clouds and trees, even until after it’s set but the sky is still orange and red— it’s all so beautiful and you really can’t go wrong!
Camille & Myles at Humber College, Lakeshore
Nicole & Jack at Herber Down Conservation Area
Kelsey & Grant at Ontario Place
Eleni & Nick at Eaton Hall
Maria & Matt at Port Credit
City Engagement
Admittedly we’re all city people; we have a deep love for our neighbourhoods, for our local coffee shops, restaurants, the liveliness of the community late at night in the summer, we could go on and on. If you, too, have a fondness for the city then an urban engagement session is definitely for you! The magic of shooting in the city means that there are truly an endless number of locations to shoot at that are both popular—Trinity Bellwoods, High Park, along Queen West, at The Distillery, Brickworks— and not so popular / more hidden— just a cool looking alleyway, right there on the street on the way to your local pizza shop, as you’re crossing a busy intersection right in the heart of downtown.
Reena & Nishil in the Financial District
Allie & Arfan at Cherry Beach
Sofia & Craig at The Esplanade
Sonya & Dwayne at Kariya Park
Sandi & Bernard at High Park
Vivian & Steve at Glendon Hall
Waterfront Engagement
Our favourite go-to locations are all water based! Shooting on the waterfront gives us the best light, (usually) a beautiful, blue horizon, and there’s typically some kind of foliage / walkway area so we can shoot a variety of photos, not just with a water backdrop. The wonderful thing about shooting on waterfront is the different varieties of water that you can get (and as. you’ll see below); on a bright, sunny, day you’ll get almost sparkles coming off the water. On a still, early, morning you’ll get soft water, on a busy, rough, day the water will add lots of texture and drama behind you. And, our favourite, shooting on the waterfront at sunset gives you the most stunning warm colours and if it’s still out, reflections!
Sarah & Kyle at Port Credit
Bianca & Blake on Lake Muskoka
Alex & Giselle at the Burloak waterfront
Eleni & Nick at Eaton Hall
Elizabeth & Matthew at the Elora Gorge
Country Engagement
Countryside engagements are a great contrast if you’re having a city wedding and want to change things up, or if you’re not into the busyness of a more urban setting. Whether it’s walking your favourite hiking trail, a conservation area that we can take a casual stroll around, or your local big open field, there are so many options for this!
Nicole & Kevin at Scottsdale Farm
Nicole & Jack at Herber Down Conservation Area
Teresa & Deanna at Sherman Falls
Forks of the Credit
At Home Engagement
One of our suggestions for when you’re trying to find a location to shoot your session is to think of somewhere meaningful and sentimental to you and what’s more meaningful and sentimental than being at home? This could be documenting your everyday routines together; making and having your drink of choice (a coffee, tea, cocktail, wine, or even champagne to celebrate!), cozying up on the couch or your porch, and then getting ready together to take a few formal portraits either still at home, or while taking a stroll around the block, or going somewhere else all together.
Cottage Engagement
We all love spending the free days that we have up north, in the fresh air, open land, and waterfront whether it’s in winter or summer (anything but spring because of mosquitos lol). Being able to combine our love of cottage country with our love for shooting is a major win for us all the while being able to give you stunning photos that celebrate your love and relationship and hopefully give you an excuse to get out of the city for a little bit!
Bianca & Blake on Lake Muskoka, Gravenhurst
Bianca & Blake on Lake Muskoka, Gravenhurst
